The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-08-12
One dark, wlntry night there set III

One dark, wlntry night there set IL
a heavy rain, SO heavy that neither
Peter nor Lydia thought 1t safe to ge
out, for the water froze as it fell, and
the streets were a sheet OF wet ice
they were very much disappointed. foi
that night Mrs. Johnson-Park and
Miss Adeiine Nary were to speak in q
grand meeting for "both sexes" as
the advertisement specially All
nounced. But Peter was too TO
tund to trust himself out in such O
state OF things, and Lydia could not
80 alone; SO they passed a quiet even.
ing by the fire, or rather by that holt
in the floor which represents the tami.
ly hearth In city houses, Peter reading
cloud the latest papers and pamph,
let's issued by the temperance party,
and Lydia peacefully knitting on q
silk sock destined for her lord and
master.
There were some awful revelations
in these papers that excited Petel
very much; statistics as to the amount
of habitual drunkenness among til,
female leaders Of society in the city
shocked his very soul; he read and re,
read, commented and groaned, till
Lydia began to shiver at the thought
that all the rich and aristocratic WON.
en- in Gotham were III constant
danger OF delirum tremens.
In fact, when bedtime came and
sleep descended on the eyes OF thi
worthy pair, they were both dreaming
OF reeling women in sealskins and vel.
vet. diamonds glittering in their ears,
and plumes waving above their foolish
faces, who blocked Fifth avenue and
refused passage to sober folks, when
they were simultaneously reused by G
sharp, imperative ring at the door
bell.
Peter Jumped and hurried on his
clothes. Don't you GOMEZ" he smart,
ly addressed Lydia. 'It's probably
murder or fire. You stay right there
Lydia sank back obediently, and
another loud peal hurried Peter te
the door. He stopped to light the
gas in the hall, and, as it flashed up
heard a carriage drive away, and an
other ring smote on his ear. He open.
ed the door, and the light streamed
on two women, flushed in face. drip
ping with rain, clothed with old wa
terproof cloaks, disheveled curls
peeping from one hood and q straight
rough bang from the other.
go of the steps. you drunken
w%retches!" screamed Peter, slammin.
the door in their faces. Then he turn,
ed down the gas and listened at the
keyhole.
"Oh. Jane! how dreadful! 1t must
be that brother of Bridget's that wa,
to come as our waiter to-day; he don't
know us. Oh, l staggerso on this wei
ice!"
Peter caught the words "dreadtul'
and "%stagger," and nodded his head
sagacious1y.
Again the bell rang fiercely, and two
pairs of hands assaulted the door. 1,
shook, but did not yield.
"Why don't you open the door? w
are frozen. Where is Bridget? w
are wet through. Let us inl"
Him! Evidently not used to colo
water" chuckled Peter, cropping his
way up the stairs, and finding Lydia
quite pale with fright.
"Oh! oh! What-what was it, Pc
ter?"
"Nothing-nothing. my dear. Two
maniiestly inebriated females who
wished to get in. Sad-very sad; bu,
so. You recollect what the Coldwatel
Herald said, in that article on the in
creasing intemperance OF the female
sex, this evening? Well, this is an aw
full proof OF the correctness OF thai
statement. You won't be troubled
with them, l think, any more"
"Oh, Peter! what if it should be thu
people in the next house?"
"1t may be. ] think their lat,
hours points in that direction"
And with a comfortable sense OF be
ing morally far above his neighbours
Peter lay down and slept the sleep O
the consciously upright man.
Meantime the two luckless women
on the doorstep had been fortunate
enough to see a policeman liz the dis
tance, and, waiting till he was near
the tallest one said: Won't you b,
kind enough to make the inmates her,
open this door? We were careless
enough to forget the latch key, ant
the new servant did not recognize
u.s."
care we sure tits the roight door,
guessed the astute policeman
"Fwhat's the number av yer OWN"
1.-TWO hundred aud eighteen" wa.
the prompt answer.
Patsey flashed his bull's-eye on th'
door. "Ah, thin, l thought that wa.
the way iv it; it's next door ye are
an why would they be for lettin' y,
in when We worrn't there?"
"Oh!' And q little hysterical 1augi
followed. Then, with much slippin!
and scrambling, the two thoroughly
wet women went down one set OF step.
and up another, slip a dollar into thu
willing palm OF the city guardian, ant
ringing their own bell, were soon in
side their own door.
The next afternoon Peter encoun
tered at the r~eading-room of hi
special society q prominent temper
ance man, who was thoroughly a
work for the cause, knew nll about it.
organizations, and "ran" its mas.
meetings.
In the course of conversation Pete
remarked to Mr.. Blair that it wa
very sad to find out how drunkenness
was spreading among women. "Onl,
last night, sir" he went on, with TIL,
slight pomposity OF a man who know
of what he speaks, and is qualidee
therefore to instruct his hearers-"yes
Sh'J ihoS iiSho L WIS uiOuSeu "
frantic peals at my door bell, lout
cries and k%nockings, and when l hur
ried down and opened the door, Their
stood two quite respectable females
l caught a glimpse OF a velvet dress
sir, on one, and l think the other wa
clothed in satin-yes, sir, l shout,
say yeller satin"-(Oh, Peter, it wa
old gold!); "but their hair was stray
gled all out, and theirfaces red. The,
was manifestly inebriated-yes, sill
they was indeed"
"Dear me! dear mel And what di,
you do with them?" inquired good MI
, Blair.
, LET them alone, sir. Yes, sir. lie
them severely alone. There's a police
man has q midnight beat on on
street; l ruther think he raked zen
in"
"By-thc-way Mr.. Patterson, on
mass-meeting tonight is put off.
just went up to - street to see Mrs
! Johnson-Pa ark, in answer to II tele
= gram she sent me, and found her SER